an ambitious goal and a barrier falls

I am not a fan of winter unless there is snow on the ground. However, once there is snow on the ground I only want it to stick around long enough for me to appreciate it. It gets dark way too early. With Dori and I both trying to get out to run, we have to coordinate who goes when. It is way too cold to pack Aidan up in the jog stroller so we can go together. So currently Dori goes out in the mornings and I get my miles in during the late evening.

With all the reflective gear and cold weather gear I tend to look like a space age baked potato when I am out there. But I am still out there. I am out there every other day, and on the exercise bike or eliptical on the days I am not.

The progress report. I am down twenty five pounds from when I came out of retirement in March 2009. I no longer live on a diet of fast food and soda. I finished my first 5k back in June with a time of 36:45. Last night I did a 3.1 out and back from the house in 29:35. The 30 minute barrier that I had been struggling with all summer has been smashed. Or at least beaten.

Ten years ago my running hobby came to an abrupt end when I shredded my MCL at MCB Quantico. At the time I was attending OCS and getting ready to run the Marine Corps Marathon. A decade of laziness and desk bound jobs followed.

I have always found that I need a challenge in order to motivate myself. I need to have that voice in my ear telling me that I need to go that extra mile. So , I have decided to throw my hat in the ring and attempt to finish what I was training for back when I hurt myself ten years ago. I am going to run a marathon by the end of this year.

I have submitted my application to run the 2010 NYC Marathon. I will find out in March whether or not I get in. If I get in I plan on running the Hampton's Half in October to gauge where I stand. If I don't get in then I am going to make the marathon attempt a little earlier than planned and run the full Hampton's Marathon instead.

The goal was deferred for ten years. I think it is time.